The Importance Of Scalp Treatment And Why You Should Never Skip Them

Be honest, when was the last time you really went for a scalp treatment? We get it—judging by the pandemic situation that’s been happening in Malaysia, it is not easy for us to freely loop around the beauty salons to get the pampering we deserve. And between the endless Zoom meetings and the overwhelming stress, it makes sense that haircare has getting less attention in our beauty routines. But if you’ve been noticing several scalp issues and your hair has lost its shine it’s definitely a sign for all that to change.

Your scalp health is an important key to healthier hair. After all, it’s where your tresses come from in the first place. Not taking care of your scalp can have some pretty dire consequences for your locks, including oily hair, split end, dandruff, and hair loss.

But fret not, Beauty Insider has all the tips to give your scalp that tender, loving care it deserves:

Contents

The Importance of Healthy Scalp
How To Identify Healthy Scalp
Is Shampoo-ing Enough?
How To Give Your Own Scalp Treatment
The Best Products For Your At-Home Scalp Treatment

The Importance of Healthy Scalp

In the beliefs of beauty community, great hair should be our priority. And the secret to healthy hair? A healthy scalp. Think of your scalp as an extension of the skin on your forehead. There are oil glands, sweat glands, and it’s constantly replacing old skin cells with new. Moreover, the scalp contains a greater number of oil and sweat glands than any other area of the skin, as each hair follicle is attached to a sebaceous gland.

How To Identify Healthy Scalp

The obvious issue here, there shouldn’t be any signs of redness—acne like spots—no irritation, no scales and no buildup. Your scalp also should not be producing any odor especially after 12 hours of washing. If your scalp has any of these problems, the issue could be as basic as a reaction to a heavily-fragranced shampoo or as complex as an autoimmune condition.

Is Shampoo-ing Enough?

Of course, not. This is why getting a scalp treatment is as important as your monthly facial appointment. Bear in mind that the skin on your scalp is subject to the same environmental aggressors as the skin on the rest of your body—and in fact produces more sebum and oil than skin elsewhere. The more you know.

Like your face, your scalp can benefit from daily toning and weekly exfoliation. This is extremely important if you have a scalp condition, such as dandruff. Just as you would use daily targeted products to address an issue with facial skin, you should use products with targeted active ingredients to treat your scalp when it gets unbalanced.

How To Give Your Own Scalp Treatment

We understand the restrictions we’re facing in the middle of lockdown. Beauty salons are not allowed to operate during the MCO but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring the indulgence back home with us. Taking care of your scalp and giving them the treatment they deserve is super easy. Here’s how:

1. Cleanse Your Scalp Very Gently

When washing your hair make sure you’re not stripping your hair too much. The key is to wash very gently, instead of tugging and scratching your scalp. Massage it lovingly. Also, wash your hair in cold or lukewarm water not hot water. The heat is as bad for your scalp as it is for your ends, and it will strip your natural sebum.

2. Exfoliate Your Scalp

Yes, just like your skin, your scalp needs exfoliating too. Even if you swear you wash your hair regularly and properly, your scalp is bound to build up with dead cells and sweats and pores. So, buffing away any dead skin as well as product buildup gives your follicles the TLC it needs, giving way for new growth. Plus, by exfoliating, you’re inadvertently giving your scalp a massage.

3. Apply SPF or Hair Mask

Here’s another FYI: your scalp is not immune to the sun—or the polluted environment you live in—skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and your scalp is the easiest target as it’s always out and unprotected. So, if you’re looking to avoid the literal worst case scenario, we advise you to pick up a little SPF or a hair mask for your luscious locks. Or if you’re lazy (like us), shade your scalp with a hat and call it a day!

4. Massage Your Scalp Regularly

Applying a scalp oil treatment or hair tonic is an important step for your overall scalp health. After applying the products to your scalp, use both hands to work your fingers up the head, kneading from ear to ear for a few minutes vigorously to lift up oil and debris. This will help relax the scalp and increase suppleness. Your stressful environment can tighten the scalp and impede circulation and hair growth. We suggest you do this at least twice a week.

The Best Products For Your At-Home Scalp Treatment

1. Root Remedies Pomegranate Hair & Scalp Treatment Oil

Malaysia’s own clean beauty brands, Root Remedies scalp treatment oil is filled with natural ingredients like pomegranate oil. It will help nourish and relieve itchy and dandruff-prone scalp while softening, repairing and encouraging hair growth.

Why we love it:

Vegan, cruelty free
Suitable for all hair types
Lightweight, non greasy

Price: RM 149.00

Where to buy: Root Remedies

2. KRISTIN ESS Scalp Purifying Micellar Shampoo

The Scalp Purifying Micellar Shampoo by KRISTEN ESS gently lifts buildup and leaves behind a layer of much-needed moisture, thanks to the natural mango seed butter, avocado oil, and castor oil inside. Perfect for your weekly scalp treatment.

Why we love it:

Vegan, cruelty free
Help boost and hydrates your scalp
Free from paraben, sulfates and silicones

Price: RM 69.00

Where to buy: Sephora

3. SEBORIN Active Hair Tonic

This must-have hair tonic from Seborin helps regenerate hair from the roots to the tip with its Pro-Vitamin B5. This product contains ginger root extract that will vitalize your scalp and reduce the build up of flakes. Bear in mind that you might experience a tickling session when you’re first using it. It’s just a sign of healthy scalp taking place.

Why we love it:

Rich with Pro-Vitamin B5 & ginger root extract
Revitalize your scalp
Anti-dandruff

Price: RM 53.00

Where to buy: Watsons

4. Frank Body Caffeinated Scalp Scrub

A detoxifying scrub from Frank Body removes all build-up and maintains an overall healthy scalp. Made with natural ingredients like coffee and rosemary, this scrub will remove clog pores, detoxify your scalp to promote healthier, shinier hair that stays cleaner for longer, too.

Why we love it:

Contain natural ingredients
Free from PEGS, parabens and phthalates
Smells like coffee!

Price: RM 85.00

Where to buy: Sephora

5. COCO & EVE Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut Hair Mask

This amazing hair treatment is infused with coconut, fig, shea butter, linseed and argan oil to strengthen and restore hair to its pure virgin state so it’s “Like a Virgin” again. The super-charged formula delivers hydration from root to tip, repairing hair damaged by heat, styling, dyes and the environment.

Why we love it: